Two Envelopes And A Phone > Recent Status Updates

And now for something where I’m completely indifferent. Plus, it’s different - a departure for me. I think it’s guilt; I read no Romance for GarbAugust, and I’m gonna get to one just after the Bengali SF. When I saved this, on a whim, out of the cellar of a Crime & Mystery bookstore, I didn’t actually notice the lady got no shirt on, under her gardening overalls. Too late to back out now.

‘Submicroscopic’ by Capt. S. P. Meek was not a total success with me; I know I’m gonna bump into racism when I read 1880-1940 (and beyond) SF or Mysteries, but the particular brand of offence here is especially tiring at this point. Other than that, the story was okay - I tend to like “shrink-ee” stories - but Maurice Renard did something along these lines much earlier, in A Man Among The Microbes.

In the broadest sense, I guess I have enjoyed Lorac's rural, "you can smell the hay and manure" whodunits more than her urban scenarios. This, then, has an edge over Bats in the Belfry and the like. It will be interesting to see who committed the murders here; the police have one or two people in mind - even after an Accidental Death ruling - and Lorac will no doubt be playing some bluffs...I think?

Always time for more Lorac. And Shorty September continues, with style…

In my case, there was never a chance of avoiding Radium Age, Bengali short Science Fiction. Sometimes, you don’t know what’s missing in life, until it suddenly comes over the horizon!

It’s fun. Conan novels are a very specific thing - they are supposed to behave and talk a certain way…and I’m no expert, but I suppose this one is fitting the bill, overall. For some reason, I read several of the Roland J. Green pastiche novels when they came out, and I should have one I missed handy for reading, soon. Plus, one of those old Howard/de Camp/Carter mishmashes of decades past.

A few notes: I've decided this will come after Holland's The 20, instead of a Western read I had cued up. The Western was tempting - and will likely not sit around unread until the next June on the Range reading event (though if it does, that's when it's for sure-zees) - but a Conan book arrived, and it actually fits Cimmerian Sept.. I see the story 'Red Nails' by Howard is at the back! Might be new to me, not sure.

One of those quick "some unlucky person has been snatched, tied up, and...?" Prologues.

Well, I thought I could push through and finish this tonight, but I’ll save the rest for tomorrow. I like the detail of the art, lots to look at in almost every panel; but my re-read, many decades later, has reminded me that some of this has not aged well. 1978, 1979…you would think by then…whatever. There are some funny bits.

This does not conform to Shorty September, but this will keep me busy with a woman author every second book (that is not comics or short stories sneaked in between longer books). Some stuff was left hanging in The Echo Man, and I don’t want to leave the series in limbo for too long.

Here he comes - Robo-Hunter!! This was the first thing I ever read that was from 2000 AD, though I had to learn that later on. Where I am, suddenly there was this Robo-Hunter series from Eagle Comics (I think?), and I decided to indulge. Only later came Judge Dredd, and Judge Anderson. I’m not into tough-guys stuck with babies (which puts me in the minority, these days), but the ‘baby’ in this is…different.

It's got a Gothic feel, the situation Maggie has suddenly been whirled up into. There's a bit of Mary Roberts Rinehart feel. Creepy goings-on, the people are very sinister. I like it - but there's potential for a very silly book. I hope not.

Continuing with reading a novel by a woman every second book, until November lands. Plus, this one puts me back in Shorty September. This will be my first novel by the author - although I’m halfway certain I must’ve read at least one short story at some point.

The reading guide 101 Horror Books to Read Before You’re Murdered is mainly built on recommendations of specific books, but every now and then a page deals with an author of note, and you get a rundown of all their books. I pick one book, almost on a whim…except something like a title, or a vibe from the cover shown, can influence me; it’s not completely random. I don’t mind starting with a lesser known work.

I liked the F. Scott Fitzgerald story. It fits right in - I didn’t know it existed.

200 pages to go…tomorrow, I think, despite it constantly calling to me.

It’s compulsive reading. I mean, in the Golden Age, having an amateur sleuth be allowed to team up with a cop - to the point of going to crime scenes, read documents - that was what strained the limits of procedural credibility…and now, we as readers accept so much more, in our suspension of disbelief, during a very entertaining story. I love this so far, but this case is not being handled according to protocol.

I had a different Horror novel cued up in Currently Reading, until just moments ago…but I’m gonna save Sparrow Rock for October (probably), because I need at least one Horror novel for closer to Halloween that is less subtle and more gory, more creature feature. Most of what I have ready is not like that. So I’m ready for my first Malerman, and I fell hard for the title of this one, though mean rating ain’t high.